The Southern Poverty Law Center (also known more accurately as the Southern Preposterous Lie Center here at Personal Liberty Digest™), long known and called out for its shameless exploitation of race for profit, has released its latest report profiling hate in America: “The ‘Patriot’ Movement Explodes.” The word “patriot” as defined over the course of about 3,000 words by the author, however, varies a bit from Webster’s definition and the likely definition of most people who feel patriotic: “One who loves and loyally or zealously supports one’s own country.”

The author instead likens the word “patriot” to any person who is affected by “superheated fears generated by economic dislocation, a proliferation of demonizing conspiracy theories, the changing racial makeup of America, and the prospect of four more years under a black president who many on the far right view as an enemy to their country.” The author also, interestingly, describes the “Patriot movement” as something that began in 1994 as “a response to what was seen as violent government repression of dissident groups at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992 and near Waco, Texas, in 1993, along with anger at gun control and the Democratic Clinton Administration in general.” The “Patriot movement,” as defined by the SPLC author, peaked in 1996 “after the Oklahoma city bombing” and then faded as the new millennium began.

Following the alarmist introduction, the author tells his readers that the so-called “Patriot movement” is again on the uptick, growing from 149 groups in 2008 to 512 in 2009, and again in 2010 to 824, and then, last year, jumping to 1,274. The title of the report and the groups contained under the author’s definition of “patriot” likely alarm the everyday conservative who may spend time on weekends organizing for like-minded political candidates, lecturing friends about the value of our Founders’ vision laid forth in the Constitution of the United States, decrying the continual expansion of an ever-stifling Federal bureaucracy or waving signs on the local courthouse steps with Tea Party peers.

Following are some of the subgroups into which the alarmists at SPLC divide patriots:

Anti-Gay: Patriotic Americans as defined by SPLC can be members of one of 27 militantly anti-gay groups that are involved in “efforts to ban or repeal marriage equality and what seemed to be an intensification of anti-gay propaganda in certain quarters.”

Anti-Muslim: The author contends that people who consider themselves to be American patriots may be involved in one of the 30 groups that exist throughout the Nation that vilify and commit hate crimes against Muslims.

Black Separatists: Black Americans who consider themselves patriots, have an unfavorable view of President Barack Obama or who believe the Constitution is an important document are likely members of the small portion of African-Americans belonging to the greater sovereign citizens movement, according to SPLC.

Christian Identity: Patriots who are also Christians may believe that Jewish people are direct descendants of Satan and people of color are “soulless mud people” in SPLC’s view.

Ku Klux Klan: The SPLC believes that the growing Patriot movement also coincides with a growing number of Ku Klux Klan members in the country.

Neo-Confederates: Centered on the Alabama League of the South, a group founded in 1994 with the alleged goal to organize a second Southern secession,there are 32 neo-Confederate organizations that SPLC says American patriots may belong to.

Racist Skinhead Groups: SPLC believes that American patriots could belong to any number of racist skinhead organizations — groups that have been defined over the past several decades as being fond of punk rock, anarchy and racism.

White Nationalist Groups: In SPLC’s view, patriotic Americans may be white nationalists, similar to those who protested school integration and racial equality during the Civil Rights era.

Having known many American citizens and politicians who define themselves as Tea Party Patriots, or simply patriots, and having attended Tea Party events where signs emblazoned with patriotic messages are proudly waived, this author has never encountered a member or supporter of one of the above-mentioned groups. Furthermore, it is probably safe to assume that most of those reading this article who are Constitution lovers, Tea Party activists, Ron Paul supporters, patriots, etc., have never been affiliated with or known someone who is affiliated with one of the hate movements. That’s not to say there is no hate or extremism in the United States; there is. But SPLC covers only one side of the political hate spectrum — hence, the moniker we have given it– in an effort to retain its extremist liberal donors; the unfortunate consequence, however, is the organization must label people who are not extremists as such so they have something to write about.

The SPLC has given conservative Americans a valuable lesson in liberal semantics with its latest report, a perfect demonstration of the reason liberal mouthpieces get away with saying things similar to things for which conservatives are attacked. With reports like this, the SPLC makes it fine for Democratic Representative Maxine Waters to say the “Tea Party can go straight to hell,” union thugs like Jimmy Hoffa to declare war on Tea Party “sons of bitches” and mouthpieces like Bill Maher and TheNew York Times’ Maureen Dowd to make disparaging and unsolicited remarks about prominent conservative women while conservative shock-jocks like Rush Limbaugh are attacked vehemently by the liberal media for the same behavior — even when commenting on women who flaunt their own premarital promiscuity before the U.S. Congress. It is excusable, because in the SPLC’s view all Tea Party members, conservatives and self-proclaimed patriots are likely involved in any number of hate crimes and reprehensible acts.

The latest report (which, by the way, was a top headline for the liberal Huffington Poston Thursday) is only the latest installment in the organization’s ongoing campaign against conservatism for financial gain.

Wesley Pruden, former editor of The Washington Times, credited the organization with inventing the new racism, writing in one editorial: “Campaigns of smear and guilt by association have always proven lucrative in terms of fundraising. Realizing the decline in the size of their most lucrative opponent, the SPLC quickly concocted a new one. Immediately, a new racism was to be found — racists, nativists, xenophobes and hate-mongers were suddenly to be discovered lurking under every rock. Particularly attractive targets were immigration reformists who wanted American laws enforced and illegal immigration halted. A new McCarthyism was born.”

With the help of eager liberal allies from the media, the halls of Congress and the White House, SPLC will continue to rake in money from donors terrified of villainous, prejudice anti-government conservatives. All the while, those who believe the Constitution to be the supreme law of the land, those who love the Nation, call themselves patriots and believe it is the duty of the people to keep Federal tyranny in check, become the ultimate victims: the new face of terror in the United States.

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Sam Rolley

Sam Rolley began a career in journalism working for a small town newspaper while seeking a B.A. in English. After covering community news and politics, Rolley took a position at Personal Liberty Media Group where could better hone his focus on his true passions: national politics and liberty issues. In his daily columns and reports, Rolley works to help readers understand which lies are perpetuated by the mainstream media and to stay on top of issues ignored by more conventional media outlets.

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